Shows
The Wholesome Music PodcastArtists Leaving Spotify / Standing Up Against the Genocide in Gaza / Yung Thug and the RAP Act / YouTube fighting AI slop / Certified Generative AIA number of established artists are leaving Spotify. Should you? Should we? How artists support each other as they stand up against the genocide in Gaza. Yung Thug and the RAP act. The collective building the next Bandcamp. We have an update on Super Fans. We spotlight ONErpm. What's YouTube doing to combat AI slop on their platform? And how can artists use AI to help their careers — without generating songs?LinksMassive Attack, Kneecap, Brian Eno, Fontaines D.C. announce formation of musicians’ alliance to repel Zionist attacks by David Walsh https://www.wsws...
2025-08-201h 03
The Wholesome Music PodcastDIY Music Videos pt. 2 / Music Management / Superfans / Soundcloud's AI PolicyWe got so excited to talk about DIY music videos that we came back around for another round. When should you shoot vertical or horizontal? How can you find great locations? What video editing software is best?After that, we look at the proliferation of music business education. How does a degree stack up against real-world experience? We talk about superfans, their importance, and caveats when promoting to them. What kinds of communities will develop as a backlash against AI music? And a look at how Soundcloud updated their AI policy.🎵 Superfans are deeply eng...
2025-08-131h 06
The Wholesome Music PodcastDIY music videos / New tax breaks for musicians / Warner layoffs / The future of TikTokWhat's it take to make a DIY music video? Also, some rare good news from the government in 2025: the HITS act is a new tax break for indie musicians! We discuss layoffs at Warner Music Group. And what's the latest news for TikTok, and what does it mean for musicians?LinksSoundCloud Still Matters for Emerging Artists - Here’s Why by Ben Jolley on Chartmetric.com https://hmc.chartmetric.com/soundcloud-trends-2025-josh-baker-electronic/HITS Act becomes law in a Big Win For Independent Artists by Randi Zimmerman via Symphonic Bl...
2025-08-0643 min
The Wholesome Music PodcastActivism! Fake AI bands! Social media! Compilations! Zines! Sample packs! Artist corporations!What is “adding value” on social media? How can musicians use their platform to help others? Zines and other forms of physical media are making a comeback. The co-founder of Kickstarter introduces artist corporations. The death of the middle class musician. We also wade into the fake AI bands controversy, including Velvet Sundown. LinksSocial Media Replaced Zines. Now Zines Are Taking the Power Back by C. Brandon Ogbunu for Wired https://www.wired.com/story/zines-social-media-power/The Death of the Middle-Class Musician by Lucy Rinaldi for The Walrus https://thewalrus.ca/the-d...
2025-08-031h 00
The Wholesome Music PodcastMoney! Day Jobs! Vinyl Costs! Tariffs! AI Brainrot!Everyone in the music industry has a day job. The people who make a living in the music industry serve others. Most of us are actually consumers and hobbyists — and that’s okay. Meanwhile, Project 2025 and the administration is coming for your vinyl. Finally, is ChatGPT cooking your brain?LINKSWhy Tariffs Are Quitely Undermining The American Vinyl Comeback by Chris Castle for Music Technology Policy https://musictechpolicy.com/2025/06/19/why-tariffs-are-quietly-undermining-the-american-vinyl-comeback/If I Press Vinyl, Will I Make My Money Back? by Tony van Veen, Diskmakers Blog https://blog.discmakers.com/2025/01/is-vinyl-worth-the-cost/Suno...
2025-07-3146 min
The Wholesome Music PodcastAnalytics, Failed Promo Tactics, AI + Record Labels, Indie Execs Sound Off, Better Rhyme SchemesLet's talk about analytics and dashboards! What music promo tactics are cooked in 2025? And what works, according to indie music executives? Suno and Udio's potential licensing deal with major labels could be a major shift in creators rights. New Grammy category. We also explore previously unheard of rhyme schemes.LinksWhat Music Promo Tactics Don't Work Anymore? by Yona Marie https://www.indieonthemove.com/blog/2025/6/what-music-promo-tactics-dont-work-anymoreWhat Suno And Udio’s AI Licensing Deals With Music Majors Could Mean For Creators Rights by Virginie Berger https://www.forbes.com/sites/virginieberger/2025/06/06/what-suno-and-udios-ai-licensing-deals-with-music-majors-could-mean-for-creators-rights/W...
2025-07-241h 17
The Wholesome Music PodcastGood Collabs, LA in 2025, Mental Health, TikTok for Artists, Timbaland's Weird AI Take, Goldman Sachs Music ForecastWhat makes a good recording session or a good collaborator? What's really going on in LA in 2025? (Spoiler: it's not an urban hellscape warzone). We'll also share some artist mental health resources, discuss TikTok's new artist tools, and stare deeply at Timbaland's very weird take on AI. A Goldman Sachs report gets reviewed — shout out to global banking, we love you. Oh, and our transition game is impeccable.LinksArtists Often Pay For Their Own Health Care — This Is Their Biggest Expense By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall for Billboard https://www.billboard.com/pro/t...
2025-07-171h 00
The Wholesome Music PodcastSocial Media for Musicians Who Don’t Like to Do Social MediaCameron Ljungkull and Augustus Watkins break down social media strategies for reluctant posters. Then we talk about the way the tech industry has changed the "soft power" of American culture, share some mental health resources for musicians, and discuss the new era of 360 deals. We also tempt fate by calling out UMG's famously rowdy legal team.Meta, TikTok, Spotify & New Rules of Soft Power by Mark Mulligan via Music Industry Blog https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2025/05/meta-tiktok-spotify-the-new-rules-of-soft-power-mark-mulligan-of-midia.htmlMental Health Resources for Musicians in 2025 By Randi Zimmerman https://blog.symphonic.com/2025/05/01/mental-health-resources-for-musicians/20 years a...
2025-07-1046 min
The Wholesome Music PodcastMusic Marketing, Social Media, Coachella, Rising Ticket Costs, AI SlopWelcome to Wholesome Music Podcast with Cameron Ljungkull and Augustus Watkins. It's our first episode and we're talking about the right time to get a manager, the creator economy, how social media broke capitalism, the economics of touring, AI brainrot music, and more!Links: Why Some Artists Are Rethinking Touring https://hmc.chartmetric.com/why-artists-arent-touring-2025/Americans Are Paying $300-Plus or Going Into Debt for Concert Tickets, Studies Show https://www.billboard.com/pro/concert-ticket-prices-studies-spending-debt-consumer-trends/Into the Horrid Depths of Instagram Reels Music By Kieran Press-Reynolds https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/into-the-horrid-depths-of-instagram-reels-music/
2025-07-0253 min